Movie "Review": Les Miserables

Okay, so:

Yesterday, I had the great pleasure of viewing the movie based off of the hit musical, Les Miserables.  This is the first experience I have had with the Les Mis phenomenon, and thus wasn't sure what to expect walking into the theater.  However, I was most impressed - and I hope to present an accurate picture of the film through my perception in this review, touching on its cinematic, musical, and dramatic aspects.

HOLY MOTHER OF GOD THIS MOVIE WAS MADE OF AWESOME

FANTINE FEELS

JAVERT FEELS

EPONINE FEELS

BARRICADE BOYS FEELS

ALL OF THE FEELS

AND GAVROCHE

GAVROCHE WHY

DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING

I WISH I COULDN'T FEEL A DAMN THING

...

Anyhow.  Maybe I should continue this in lowercase.

Seriously, though, this movie broke my heart several times.  It almost felt like my emotions were being stabbed, allowed to partially heal, and then shanked again with a little twist of the knife thrown in.  A tragedy, a moment of hope, then another tragedy, in an endless cycle throughout the story, until it finally ended on an indescribably beautiful note.

The character that shredded my feels the most was probably Javert.  I felt so...sorry for him.  So many chances to learn mercy, understanding, and yet he couldn't escape the cage of his black-and-white, good-and-evil, law-and-chaos mindset.  And in the end, he chose death rather than to change his outlook.  His world had been ripped away with no mercy or explanation when ValJean spared his life in the barricade, and he was simply lost.

(I thought I would be crying at this point, but I think I have to hear the music too.  And I honestly don't think it would work for me with any other version than Russel Crowe's.  Seriously, what is wrong with his singing according to most of the comments I've seen?  I see no reasonable explanation, just "he was terrible".  His voice might not be flashy and operatic like the various musical versions, but it fits the character in my opinion.  Simple, cut-and-dry, yet still melodic and effective.)

The most memorable song for me was "Do You Hear The People Sing?"  The funeral procession scene where it was first sung was stunning.  You could've heard a pin drop in the theater.  Quiet, building little by little into a beautiful display of courage and resolve.  In a word, PERFECT.

I could go through the rest of the story and music and why it hit me right in the feels, but I don't think my fragile mindset could handle it at this point (made fragile, of course, BY THIS PAINFULLY AMAING STORY).  Thus, I will end my tirade here, with but one more comment:

GO SEE THIS MOVIE IF IT IS THE LAST THING YOU DO.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel the sudden urge to overthrow my government while performing an epic musical number.